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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. cold — not warm
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. squash — the sport
  6. content — the amount
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. content — happy
  9. board — to get on
  10. stem — to come from
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. season — of the year
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. season — in sport
  17. cold — an illness
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — to rob
  21. board — a committee
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. squash — to crush

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com